Born in Bermuda to a house slave in 1788 Mary Prince suffered the first of many soul-shattering experiences in her life when she was separated from her parents and siblings at the age of twelve. Subsequent masters subjected her to bodily and sexual abuse, she was bought and sold several times before she was ultimately freed. When she took shelter with the Moravian church later in life she was able to have her story written down and published. The History of Mary Prince was the first account of the life of a black woman to be published in England and the book had a galvanizing effect on the anti-slavery movement.